SCS HB 41 -- LAW ENFORCEMENT

This bill changes the laws regarding law enforcement.  In its
main provisions, the bill:

(1)  Repeals an obsolete provision which allows the police
department of the City of St. Louis to hire certain retired
police officers as special advisors;

(2)  Allows grant money received by multijurisdictional Internet
cyber crime law enforcement task forces to be used to purchase
necessary equipment, supplies, and services.  Currently, the
grant money may only be used to pay law enforcement salaries and
provide training;

(3)  Allows multijurisdictional enforcement groups to receive
grant money to investigate Internet sexual crimes against
children;

(4)  Allows up to 3% of the money appropriated to the Department
of Public Safety for the multijurisdictional enforcement grant
program to be used for its administrative costs;

(5)  Specifies that the arrest powers of a peace officer
authorized as a member of a multijurisdictional Internet cyber
crime law enforcement task force can only be used when the
officer is an active member of the task force and acting within
the scope of the investigation.  The officer will have the power
of arrest anywhere in the state and must provide prior
notification to the local police chief or sheriff of an arrest in
his or her jurisdiction.  However, if critical circumstances
exist, an arrest may be made and the notification must be made to
the police chief or sheriff as soon as possible.  The police
chief or sheriff may elect to work with task forces within his or
her jurisdiction;

(6)  Grants a person serving as a reserve officer on August 27,
2001, within a county of the first classification or St. Louis
County, who has previously completed a minimum of 160 hours of
training, a license to function as a reserve peace officer only
within that county;

(7)  Allows the St. Louis Board of Police Commissioners to
delegate some of its jurisdiction to hearing officers.  At the
board's discretion, a hearing officer may preside over
disciplinary matters, submit reports to the board, and make
recommendations on the disciplinary matter and the
appropriateness of the recommended discipline.  The process for
selecting hearing officers is specified.  After a hearing officer
presides over a matter, he or she will become ineligible to hear
a case until all hearing officers have been utilized, at which
time the rotation will begin again.  The board will retain
authority to render a final decision after a review of the
evidence and the report of the hearing officer;

(8)  Updates several provisions of law in Chapter 43, RSMo,
regarding the operations of the State Highway Patrol;

(9)  Requires the Superintendent of the State Highway Patrol to
be appointed from the uniformed membership of the patrol and
removes the requirement that the superintendent reside in
Jefferson City;

(10)  Authorizes the patrol superintendent to enter into an
agreement with the Missouri Gaming Commission to enforce any law
or regulation, conduct background investigations related to the
laws of this state, and enforce the regulation of licensed gaming
activities;

(11)  Increases the amount an entity requesting criminal history
record information not based on a fingerprint search must pay
from up to $5 per request to up to $9.  After January 1, 2010,
the patrol superintendent may increase this fee up to $1 per
year, up to a $15 maximum.  Any entity requesting criminal
history record information based on a fingerprint search is
required to pay up to $20 per request.  If the request is for a
concealed carry endorsement or foster parent, residential care
facility, or child placing agency license, the fee will be $14;

(12)  Allows any state agency or board to require the
fingerprinting of an applicant or employee in specified
occupations for the purpose of positive identification and for
receiving criminal history record information when determining
the applicant's or employee's ability or fitness for a position;
and

(13)  Authorizes the patrol, at the direction of the Governor, to
conduct a name or fingerprint background investigation of a
gubernatorial appointee or applicant and other investigations to
determine if the individual has paid his or her required taxes to
establish the person's suitability for a position of public
trust.

The bill contains an emergency clause regarding the
multijurisdictional enforcement groups.

Missouri House of Representatives
94th General Assembly, 1st Regular Session
Last Updated July 25, 2007 at 11:17 am